Sunday, May 6, 2018

Demon Chef Alvin Leung from the 3 Michelin-starred Bo Innovation has opened Forbidden Duck Singapore at Marina Bay Financial Centre. The new restaurant took over the space previously occupied by Crystal Jade Prestige. Forbidden Duck's concept pays homage to the traditional Peking Duck, as well as a contemporary version. In addition, the menu includes Cantonese classics and dim sum with a little twist from Chef Alvin. Local inspired specials will also be exclusively available at the Singapore outlet.

Iberico Pork Char Siu 3.5/5

Our dinner at the new restaurant started with the Iberico Pork Char Siu ($30). The cuts are thick and generous, coated in a sweet marination. It was also quite tender. While it is a good piece of char siew, I am not sure whether it will meet the expectation of the local diners. I think I local palate prefers their char siew to be more fatty as well as more charred. It needed more of that smokey bitterness to complement the sweetness of the marination.

Signature Slow Roasted Duck 4.5/5

Besides the traditional Peking duck, what you should ordered here is the Signature Slow Roasted Duck ($88). This version by Chef Alvin gives the duck a nice crisp on the skin while the meat remains tender and juicy with a beautiful pinkish colour. In fact, I thought the meat has a slight crunch in texture. This is achieved through slow cooking the duck in oven for 3 hours and then roasted in a high temperature in the last 30 minutes.

You can appreciate the slow roasted duck on its own or paired it with the yellow coloured steamed bun that has been flavoured with calamansi. The tang from the calamansi helps to cut through the oiliness. Similar to Peking duck, it comes with various condiments such as hoi sin sauce with calamansi, sesame oil, garlic, sugar and smoked sea salt to complement the poultry.

Duck in Two Ways - Laksa Style and Mongolian Style 4/5

Similar to the concept of San Choy Bau is the Duck in Two Ways ($18). We tried the Laksa and Mongolian Style. Laksa is Chef Alvin's favourite dish in Singapore and he has somewhat made a deconstructed version which has all the characteristic of a bowl of laksa when you sink your teeth into it. For the Mongolian version, the aroma of cumin, chilli and spices are very prominent. It sort of whet up my appetite with the beautiful scent.

Lobster Vermicelli with Black Truffle Har Mi XO 3.8/5

The Lobster Vermicelli with Black Truffle Har Mi XO ($88) comes with a whole lobster resting on a bed of vermicelli at the bottom. I could not really taste any trace of truffle but the Har Mi Xo sauce is really shiok. I think it can go well with anything. My only slight disappointment is that the vermicelli is a bit dry, I prefer that it wasn't reduce until all the broth has been soaked up by the vermicelli.

Sweet & Sour Pork with Lychee, Rose and Hawthorn 4.5/5

Sweet & Sour Pork with Lychee ($23) is a very common dish that can be found in almost every Chinese restaurant. The version here has a slight twist with the addition of Mei Kuei Lu (rose essence wine) and hawthorn for tartness.

Golden Cereal Prawn 3.5/5

While Chef Alvin likes the the local laksa, he dislikes our local cereal prawn. Hence you will find in the menu his rebellious version of his own Golden Cereal Prawn ($30). What you get is literally cereal plus prawn. Round colourful cereal with fruit salad paired with huge succulent prawn coating in a thin batter. Sorry chef, I still like my Singapore cereal prawn more.

Sizzling Garoupa and Pork Liver in Casserole 3.5/5

A homely and comforting dish is the Sizzling Garoupa and Pork Liver in Casserole ($40). What struck me is the use of pig liver. This is probably the first time I come across the combination. The thickly sliced garoupa is deep fried before cooking together with onions and pig liver in a savoury dark sauce.

Stewed USDA Short-Rib with Beancurd in Chu Hou Sauce 4.8/5

These Stewed USDA Short-Rib with Beancurd in Chu Hou Sauce ($34) is to die for. I would definitely order this again. The chu hou sauce goes very well with the short ribs but what really stands out is how soft and tender it has been cooked until it simply falls of the bone with ease.

Seafood Rice in Aromatic Duck Soup 4.8/5

A crowd favourite including myself is the Seafood Rice in Aromatic Duck Soup ($32). The flavourful broth has been simmered with juicy duck meat, while the scallops and prawns lend a subtle sweetness to the soup. Crispy rice pops are added for that extra crunch. This is deeply comforting and delicious.

Giant Egg Tart 4.2/5

For dessert, you can go for the popular Giant Egg Tart ($6) that is double the the size of the traditional egg tart, almost like a cupcake. The egg custard is really smooth and wobbly in texture, encased in a flaky shell. Slice it into half and you will discover a sweet secret inside. Inside the shell, you will find a mixture of honey, yuzu and pomelo for a refreshing twist, making it a really sweet dessert.

Forbidden Duck Singapore has opened officially on 3 May 2018. It is still not opened on weekends yet but will be doing so from 19 May onwards. If you are planning to visit the restaurant, I would recommend you try the slow roasted duck, stewed USDA short-rib, seafood rice in aromatic duck soup and giant egg tart. Note: This is an invited tasting.